Finding a hotel in Manhattan is one of those seminal, epically daunting travel experiences. The sticker shock for even the most modest national chain will pop eyeballs, rooms tend to be hobbit-hole sized, and service can be aloof. And with literally dozens upon dozens to pick from, one inevitably gets the nagging feeling of having chosen wrong. It is for all those reasons that the Eventi Hotel is an absolute no-brainer.

Located in the northern end of Chelsea, on Manhattan’s West Side (30th Street and Sixth Ave), the Eventi is far enough away from the tourist-mobbed Times Square trap, but still centrally located. New York is the quintessential walking city, and the Eventi is in easy walking distance to the theater district, Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, and, a little over a mile away, Central Park. That’s clutch, unless you want to drain your day (and wallet) hunting down cabs or waiting for subways. The friendly service and wonderful views of the city from every room are a pure bonus, and give the Eventi an even greater aura of escape and rejuvenation.

The Eventi is billed as a luxury hotel, and it fairly makes the case with modern furnishings and decor that lean toward the loud and electric, without fully falling in – yet with standard rates that start below $300 a night, an absolute rarity in this city. But unlike many offerings, the Eventi offers what matters most to us in a New York City hotel: the ability to retreat from the noisy streets to a quiet room, with a spacious, clean and well-appointed bathroom (that is decked with amenities, like a rainforest showerhead, heated floor, plush bathrobes, and designer grooming products), and a divinely comfortable bed. All of which help the Eventi achieve our holy grail of New York hotels: leaving us refreshed and well rested in the city that never sleeps. [From $300; eventihotel.com]